An Afternoon with Author Brenda Tate

Local Author Brenda Tate joins us for a talk on her book Journal of a Black Woman in Blue. Following the talk, we will have a time for Q&A with the audience and book signing.

About the book:

Brenda Tate’s personal journal is a painfully honest account of the struggles she faced as a child and young woman, enduring rape, molestations, and abuse-traumas that led her on a path of self-destruction until she was able to face her demons head-on. She served forty years in Pittsburgh as a police officer while being heavily addicted to drugs and alcohol. This African-American woman’s story reflects how she navigated a racist and sexist police department while struggling with her addiction.

Relying on her strong faith and the support of AA, she achieved sobriety and rose in her career to protect presidents, kings and queens, and dignitaries such as Rosa Parks and the Dalai Lama. She is actively retired and remains a lifelong resident of Pittsburgh’s historic Hill District. She is a revered community leader and activist serving her city, state, and its residents, with a special emphasis on seniors.
Brenda Tate is living proof that you can triumph over even the most incredible odds and that you need not be defined by your mistakes. Her journey to recovery will stay with you for a long time. Writing this journal took tremendous courage, but she hopes that by exposing her own soul, her story would be a source of inspiration to others.

About the author:

Brenda Tate served 40 years in Pittsburgh as a police officer, while struggling with addiction. She is now a revered community leader in Pittsburgh and lifelong resident of the historic Hill District. Her journal is a raw and open account of the struggles she faced as a child and young woman enduring rape, molestations and abuse that led her on a path of self-destruction, until she was able to face it head on. It is a story of an African-American woman who navigated a racist police department while being addicted to drugs and alcohol, struggling with adversity. Through her recovery and strong faith, she rose in her career to protect presidents, kings, queens, Rosa Parks and the Dalai Lama, proving that you can move forward no matter the odds. Her journey of recovery and how she navigated her transition is one that will stay with you for a very long time. Her story proves that African-American women do not need be defined by their mistakes. This personally written journal of Brenda’s struggle and triumph has given her the courage to expose her own soul as a source of inspiration to others.

Event Venue

Riverstone Books, 5841 Forbes Ave, Pittsburgh, United States